(201) Magazine Blogs

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Goodson says West Coast offense is “good fit” for him

New Jets RB Mike Goodson said in a conference call today he thinks the team’s new West Coast offense is a “good fit” for him. Goodson, a former Oakland Raider, signed a three-year, $6.9 million deal with the Jets on Friday.
“I definitely think it highlights some things that I do in my game,” he said, “catching the ball out of the backfield, being able to isolate [on] some linebackers, run some routes and also run the ball between the tackles.”
Goodson said he also visited Cincinnati, but chose the Jets because he liked the “direction” the team is going in.
“It was just a good fit,” he said, referring to his visit to the team’s Florham Park complex. “It felt like home. ... I like Rex Ryan’s coaching style. I like the offensive coordinator [Marty Mornhinweg]. ... I can’t wait to run [the ball] and play in his offense.”
He said the amount of playing time he will see has “yet to be determined” and called veteran RBs Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell “great backs.” But he also said he believes he can be “that every-down guy.”
Goodson, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry in spot duty with the Raiders last season, also was asked about the NFL rule change made today, in which ballcarriers will be penalized for lowering the crown of their helmets and striking defensive players in the open field.
“I never thought you were suppooised to do that anyway,” Goodson said, “so that probably won’t affect me too much.”
its put me in a position can be theat everydown guy

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Rex says there will be competition at QB

The Jets have been sending out some mixed messages about whether there truly will be a quarterback competition this spring and summer. However, coach Rex Ryan indicated today at the NFL meetings in Phoenix that it will be a competition.
Per the New York Post, Ryan told reporters, “Somebody has to take the first snap” of spring practice, and that QB will be Mark Sanchez. However, he added, “But there’s going to be competition, and clearly we have to improve at the quarterback position.”
Sanchez is coming off back-to-back seasons in which he totaled 26 turnovers, both times throwing 18 interceptions and losing eight fumbles. But new offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said last week on a conference call that Sanchez “probably would have a little bit of a leg up” heading into the spring, based on his experience with the Jets. And owner Woody Johnson, speaking at the NFL meetings Sunday, said that Mornhinweg’s system would make things “easier” for Sanchez and expressed his confidence in Sanchez bouncing back.
Ryan also said that Tim Tebow will “get a chance to compete.” However, he still is expected to be released, at least before training camp. Tebow’s inaccuracy would make him a bad fit in Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense.
So the competition figures to include Sanchez, new signee David Garrard and Greg McElroy, who started one game in 2012, and perhaps a currently unemployed QB to be named later (Kevin Kolb? Jason Campbell?). Ryan praised Garrard and indicated he believes Garrard’s health won’t be an issue. He missed the 2011 and 2012 seasons because of back and knee surgeries, respectively.
The Jets also have been linked in reports to Kolb, recently released by Arizona. When asked about Kolb, Ryan replied, “If we think that’ll help the competition, I’m sure it’ll be something we’ll look into.”

Rex on Revis trade rumors

At a media session over breakfast at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters today it’s not a foregone conclusion that superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis will be traded.
“I know for a fact that we’re not actively trying to trade Darrelle Revis,” Ryan said. “But if somebody calls, you listen.”
According to multiple reports, Tampa Bay has called and is interested, but the price apparently isn’t right for the Jets. At least, not yet. Revis is heading into the final year of his contract and the Jets seem very reluctant to sign him to a lucrative, multi-year deal.
So Ryan did seem prepared that he might not have his star corner much longer.
“I’ll coach who’s here,” Ryan said. “On opening day we’ll see who that is.
“I always want all of our players on our team, and sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn’t,” Ryan added. “It doesn’t always happen, I’ve learned that. I always have a loyalty to our guys I’ve coached.
“When the first trade thing came up, I connected it to someone that clearly made it up; there was no factual basis. On the first day John Idzik is named general manager and he doesn’t even know where his office is, we’re trying to trade Darrelle?”
Ryan continued, “This is all speculation like it’s a foregone conclusion. I don’t believe it.” However, he added he is “not naive enough” to think it couldn’t happen.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Jets sign pass-rusher Barnes, re-sign Purdum

The Jets signed San Diego OLB Antwan Barnes today, Barnes, an unrestricted free agent, got a three-year deal worth just over $4 million, according to a league source.
Barnes, 28, was a fourth-round pick of Baltimore’s in 2007, and has 23 career sacks. He spent the first three seasons of his NFL career with the Ravens. In those first two years, Jets head coach Rex Ryan was Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, so Barnes has plenty of familiarity with the defensive system.
His best season was 2011, when he compiled 11 sacks for the Chargers. However, he had only three QB takedowns in 2012. He missed five games because of injury and finished the season on injured reserve because of a hamstring problem. If healthy, Barnes could be a good situational pass-rusher for the Jets, who obviously are hoping he can duplicate his 2011 numbers. The Jets released veteran OLB Calvin Pace last month.
The Jets also re-signed long snapper Tanner Purdum to a two-year deal.

Jets, Revis still in holding pattern

Jets owner Woody Johnson spoke to reporters yesterday at the NFL owners’ meetings in Phoenix, but shed little light on the ongoing Darrelle Revis saga, except to indicate the Jets are willing to trade the superstar cornerback, “but we’re not actively out there beating the bushes [for a trade], because he’s on the team and we expect him to be on the team.”
Johnson also said reports he is unwilling to give Revis a contract extension are “patently untrue.”
However, Johnson also said, “We would be open to a conversation [about a trade]. . .If somebody wants to make an offer on any one of our players, we’ll listen.”
So what does this all mean? It likely means they haven’t found a good enough offer for Revis yet. It would appear the Jets may point toward next month’s draft as the time when they next will shop him around to see if they can get a first-round pick. If not, they may have to let this play out into the summer and see what happens once Revis returns to the field and can show potential suitors he is 100 percent.
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Johnson also made a comment that may bother some fans. When asked about the future of struggling QB Mark Sanchez, Johnson expressed confidence that new coordinator Marty Mornhinweg can get Sanchez back on track and said, “I don’t think we’ve seen the best of Mark Sanchez.”
Hmmm. Two things here: 1. If the Jets don’t have an open competition for QB this spring and summer, that’s a bad sign. It means that Sanchez’s guaranteed $8.25 million is driving that train. 2. Sanchez may already have peaked as a Jet, but in any case, Johnson is not qualified to give personnel evaluations. When he is asked about a player, he should make it clear that Rex Ryan and the coaching staff will determine who plays. He didn’t do that yesterday in the case of Sanchez.

Woody tap-dances around Revis situation

Jets owner Woody Johnson again was noncommittal about the Jets’ plans for superstar CB Darrelle Revis earlier Sunday. He spoke to reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings in Phoenix.
“This is a chessboard and you have to move the pieces around and you’re always trying to get better,” Johnson said when asked if the Jets may trade Revis. “If somebody wants to make an offer on any one of our players, we’ll listen.”
However, the owner also said reports he is unwilling to give Revis a contract extension are “patently untrue.”
GM John Idzik, who also spoke to reporters, said, “Any move we contemplate with any player is done with the sole purpose of improving the New York Jets. ... If there’s merit to that, we’ll contemplate it. And if not, we’ll move on.”
“If we can make our team better, we would be open to a conversation [about a trade],” Johnson said. “But we’re not actively out there beating the bushes, because he’s on the team and we expect him to be on the team.”

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Jets re-sign K Folk

The Jets re-signed kicker Nick Folk, who was an unrestricted free agent. Folk, who has spent the last three seasons with the Jets, made 21 of 27 field-goal attempts last season.
And superstar CB Darrelle Revis earned a $1 million bonus because he was on the roster at the end of the NFL’s business day. Revis has been the subject of rampant trade rumors recently. He is due two more bonuses of $1 million each before the beginning of the regular season, part of his total 2013 compensation of $6 million.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Jets add G Colon, NT Garay

The Jets signed veteran OL Willie Colon to a one-year deal, according to a source. Colon, who grew up in the Bronx and played at Hofstra, has played tackle for much of his career but started at left guard for Pittsburgh last season. Both of the 2012 starters at guard, Brandon Moore and Matt Slauson, are on the free-agent market
They also signed veteran NT Carlos Garay, according to a source..
Colon can be a very effective run-blocker when healthy but has been plagued by injuries in recent years. In fact, he played only 12 of a possible 48 games in the last three seasons for Pittsburgh, which cut him this week. He blew out an Achilles’ tendon in 2010 and missed the entire season, and played only one game in 2011 because of a torn triceps tendon. He missed five games in 2012 because of knee problems.
Colon was selected in the fourth round by the Steelers in 2006.
Garay, 33, who has played 56 career games for Cleveland, Chicago and San Diego, was signed off the Jets’ practice squad by the Chargers in 2009 and had six sacks for San Diego in 2010. He could replace Sione Po’uha, who was released Tuesday. He is from Rahway.

Keller signs with Miami

Chalk up another defection from the Jets. Tight end Dustin Keller has signed a one-year deal, with Miami, according to a league source. ESPN is reporting it’s for $4.25 million.
Keller, a first-round draft pick of the Jets in 2008, was hoping for a long-term deal before last season, but the Jets chose not to re-up him. Keller had 241 receptions, averaging 11.9 yards, and 17 touchdown catches in his five seasons as a Jet.
However, his bargaining power was hurt by an injury-plagued 2012 campaign. He had 28 catches for 317 yards and two touchdowns, all career lows, missing eight games because of hamstring and ankle injuries.
This also is bad news for Mark Sanchez. Keller was his favorite target and two are friends off the field and had terrific chemistry on it.
“It was pretty frustrating,” Keller told south Florida reporters, referring to not being able to get on the field very much last season. “This is a fresh start for me. It’s an opportunity to go somewhere and re-prove myself.
“Coach [Joe] Philbin is putting all the pieces together to win now,” Keller said. “This team is in a position to win, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Jets sign RB Goodson

The Jets have signed Oakland free agent running back Mike Goodson. Goodson, who was born in Irvington and will be 26 in May, was a fourth-round pick of Carolina in 2009. He has rushed for 722 yards in four seasons, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. ESPN reports it is a three-year, $6.9 million deal.
He had 221 yards rushing for Oakland last season, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He also had 16 receptions for 195 yards in 2012, so has the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, a key to the Jets’ new West Coast offense.
He likely will compete for a starting job with veterans Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell now that Shonn Greene has left for Tennessee via free agency.

About

J.P. PELZMAN joined The Record in April 1998. He began his career at the Ocean County Observer in Toms River, where he spent one year before leaving for Newsday on Long Island. At The Record, he was the primary backup on the New York Jets’ beat for nine seasons, from 1998-2006, before becoming the beat writer in 2007. Pelzman also has been The Record’s beat writer for Seton Hall men’s basketball since the 2002-03 season.